Romney Takes Lead Over Obama

Mitt Romney has taken his biggest lead yet against President Obama in the latest Rasmussen Reports poll, winning the hypothetical matchup 45% to 39%, with 10% backing another candidate and 6% undecided. Last week, Rasmussen had Obama leading 44% to 41%. Neither candidate’s number is far afield from how they’ve performed all year, though the 39% is a new low for Obama, who has until now ranged from 40% to 46%. Romney has scored between 38% and 45%.

Romney’s lead is also the biggest any named candidate has taken against Obama. The president leads all other named candidates by 7 to 15 points, even though he narrowly loses to a “generic Republican candidate.” The gender disparity in the survey is striking: Romney leads by 20 points among men, while Obama leads by 6 points among women. Independents also fall into Romney’s camp by a hefty 45% to 29% margin.